Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-10-07
LIFE BURNED OUT
by C0atsc: with an Electric Wire,
Afeung Girl Suddenly Transformed
Into Decrepls Old Woman.
INC Bloom of Youth Gives Way 30 shrty
eled, Shrunken Cheeks, and Her
Voice Harsh and Cracked.
Cincinnati ENQUIRER.

CINCINNATI Enquirer.
CLEVELAND, OHIO, Sept. 29.-On ths
Brecksville road, about six miles from
the town Of Lorain, Ohio, lives farmer
named Max Harmon, who came from Penn
sYlvania ABOUT q year ago. Harmon's
family consists Of wife and three chill.
dren' The Oldest: named Mary, is g
young lady nineteen years OF sge, who
mas passed through one of the stranges,
and most painful experiences which ever
ieli 10 the lot OF a human being. A short
time ago she wss plump, rosy checked
girl IN ROBUST health and Of sunny dis
Posltlon; to-day, through the influence OF
most peculiar accident, she is in al but
years shrunken, peeyish old woman.
Inc story OF this strange metamor-
pAosls Is a. follows; Mary was engaged
Gn De married to 8 man named jacob
hoerleln, who had followed the Har.
mons from Pennsylvania and afterwaE d
worked for Mir. Harmon and made his
nome with the family. About six weeks
ago the young compile came to Cleveland
10 make some purchases and see the
sights. One OF the young mans friends
WORKED IN one OF the electric. light estsb-
hshments at the time. Eberlein proposed
10 take his future bride through the
place snd show her the machinery.
~ sppesrs that 8 broken wire OF
her panIer or hustle had unperceived
worked lFs way through her dress. While
passing along the wire came III contact
with one OF the powerful electric ma
chlnes, and her hand resting on an iron
oar &c the time, completed the circuit,
hnd she received a severe shock and fell
lnsensloIe to the floor. In 3 few mo-
ments she revived sufficiently to be re.
moved fIom the place and Was taken to
aer Rome. The muscles Of her face were
drawn and strained, but il was though:
ina that would shortly disappear. Med
lcal aid was summoned.
For four days the girl lay in bed in s
paralyzed condition. Then she regaiued
the use of her limbs, but immedistely
began TO lose flesh rapidly. The hair on
TIE lett slNe OF her head turned gray and
began falling out. after about four
weeks Miss Harmon Wss able to be sbou
aad attend TO most OF her household
duties ss usual, but in that time she bad
oeen transformed from young, hand
some girl INTO g feeble old woman. Her
form, which had been plump ard
was thin ana bent. and the
skin On her face and body was dry and
She had been sweet,
tempered, atfectionate girl, but is DOW
oeeVist, irritable ana selfish. Her
voice IS harsh and cracked, ana NC one 70
ook at her would imagine that she was |
ess than sixty years CT age.
The Harmon family are Mortified and |
veil nigh heartbroken by the tAue OF their
)nce handsome daughter, while Young
1oerleln is almost frantic over the chaHae
n his aiii4nced bride. The physicians
lain that the electric current communl-
sted directly witbGthe principal nerves Of
ne spine and lett side OF TIE head, and
Lat the shOCE almost completely de-
troyed their vitality. Strange to relate
ne girls ey9slght is but slightly affected.
ut her hearing IS almost totally DESTROY
d. Notwithstanding her condition, the
hysicians claim thar her chances Tor
wing her allotted number OF years are
OF materially lcsssned, although she can
ever recover from her prematurely aged
tate.
Instances in which PERSONS hair hiss
lfned White in q single night from
light, grief Or some excessive nervous
dock are not rare, but this is supposed
DE tEe first case in medical history in
hich person has been known to step ]
ON the bloom OF vigorous youth into
lie decrePttude of old age within q week.